


Coffee Lovers 咖啡情人 kā fēi qíng rén

by iarrod



Category: Original Work
Genre: Coffee, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Heavy Angst, M/M, Original work - Freeform, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:49:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25876192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iarrod/pseuds/iarrod
Summary: Everyone in this world was born with a fated pair. What would you do if you feel the thread of fate snap before you though?Lin Er got dumped by his fated pair - his boyfriend of three years. in the same cafe they first met, splashed with the same drink that once bound them. Unbeknowst to him, the barista of the cafe, Yu Yang, had been in love with him for a very very long time, but can he love someone who was not his fated pair?
Relationships: Yu Yang/Lin Er
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	Coffee Lovers 咖啡情人 kā fēi qíng rén

**Author's Note:**

> Heya~! Remember when Suibian team announced a prank audio drama for 2020's April Fool's?  
> Yeah... I made it real... but in words.
> 
> Thank you KyuuDevil and honeyberriez for the beta!

55:17:16:33 

“I said! It’s over!” the sound of a ceramic cup shattering on the floor silenced the entire café.

All eyes turned towards the arguing trio; two men in their early twenties, and a gorgeous young woman. One of the men promptly grabbed his bag and stormed out of the door with the woman tailing behind, leaving the other man stupefied and glued to his chair. Lin Er’s eyes still stared at the empty space where his boyfriend was sitting. The gears in his mind had yet to process what just happened; not even the warm coffee soaking through his t-shirt could wake him. 

A dark-haired barista, Yu Yang, gently wiped the young man’s chin with a face towel, and said, “Follow me. I have something you can change into.” 

Yu Yang led the dazed brunette towards the back of the café and up the stairs to the private loft above. He sat him down on a couch and went away to grab a long-sleeved teal sweater and a fresh towel from the drawers. When he returned, Lin Er was staring at him with tears in his eyes. For a moment, he hesitated and then awkwardly smiled as he handed the items to him, “The bathroom is that way and… you can stay in here as long as you need.”

Lin Er did not respond, except with more tears. 

“Um…” Yu Yang turned away, “I’ll get back to work.” 

Once he was back at the café, he noticed his customer’s tote bag and violin case. So he cleared the table and stealthily brought those up the loft. He managed to slip in and out while Lin Er was crying in the bathroom. Worried as he was, there was almost nothing Yu Yang could do for a man who got his heart broken so publicly, and so humiliatingly. He only wished he could do more than just offer another change of clothes; perhaps a shoulder to cry on. 

A few hours later, the café closed its doors for the day. But there was no sign of Lin Er coming down the loft. Standing in front of his fridge. Yu Yang quickly decided on a menu for two. Fifteen minutes later, he went up the loft carrying two sets of eggs benedict on a bed of English muffins with a side of bacons and sausages, and two mugs of hot chocolate on a tray. The smell of dinner finally woke Lin Er, who had fallen asleep on the couch after crying his eyes out. 

“You must be hungry,” Yu Yang said as he set the food on the small dining table by the side, “Come and have something to eat.” 

Lin Er sat down for the meal. He took a look at his dinner and blurted, “Breakfast for dinner?”

“My café serves all-day breakfast,” Yu Yang tried to be funny, and it worked. 

Lin Er chuckled and told him, “It’s my favourite item from your menu.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Yu Yang nodded as he watched Lin Er begin to eat. He added in his mind, “Of course I know it’s your favourite.”

The mug of hot chocolate was still warm to the touch by the time they finished dinner. Yu Yang noticed that Lin Er silently held the warm mug, and stared at the brown drink. He cleared his throat and muttered, “I thought it’s too late for anything with caffeine.”

“Hm?” Lin Er looked up at him, “O-Oh no! I-It’s just… I just noticed that I’ve never drank anything other than latte in the café. It’s the best I’ve ever had.” 

“The next time you come here, I’ll make your latte the way you like it,” Yu Yang told him. 

“Really?” Lin Er’s eyes sparkled but that sparkled died down just as quickly, “…I’ll have to come alone next time.” 

“Hey,” Yu Yang called out to him, “I know it isn’t right for me to butt in, but I sincerely think you deserve someone better than that guy.” 

“He’s sweet,” Lin Er’s voice cracked trying to defend his now ex-boyfriend.

“He dumped you right in front of strangers with his new girlfriend by his side, and tossed coffee on you,” Yu Yang reminded him, with a hint of anger in his voice. 

Lin Er looked down, “It is my fault. If only I paid more attention to him and not my studies.” 

“Don’t be so blinded by love,” Yu Yang told him, “You’re a music college student. You should be studying.”

“You know,” Lin Er looked up again, “I have a final test coming up soon. A-Jie is supposed to be my pianist but now… I doubt he’d still be my pianist… It’s too late to find someone else now but without a pianist to accompany me, how am I going to go for my final? I can’t defer it without a good reason. I can’t graduate and I’ll have to repeat—”

“I’ll do it,” Yu Yang offered. Lin Er stared at him, a young café owner who seemed to be around his age. Yu Yang continued, “I haven’t practiced piano in a long while, so I’ll need to get back into my groove again. But only if you don’t mind having me?” 

After a long while, Lin Er smiled softly, “You’re so kind to a stranger like me.”

“I help wherever I can,” Yu Yang smiled vaguely, but his mind added, “Only for you.”

“Um…” Lin Er set the mug down, “Can I… stay here for the night? I don’t want to go back… to his apartment.”

“Sure,” Yu Yang nodded, “So they live together.”

“I-I’ll pay for the damages… and dinner… and also the lodging for the night,” Lin Er said, “But not immediately. My savings have run dry after I lost my part-time job, so I’ll get another job and pay you then.”

Yu Yang stopped, and said, “Well, I actually need a hand at the café.”

Lin Er was surprised, “You’re hiring me?” 

The taller man nodded, “For three hours’ of work a day, you get food and lodging in this shabby loft. Is that alright?” 

“Yes, please!” Lin Er quickly agreed, “Oh! My name’s Lin Er, boss.” 

“Just call me Yu Yang,” he replied with a smile.

Lin Er nodded. Though the deal felt too good to be true, he needed a lifeline right now. He had bargained with his doting parents for a lower allowance to help ease their burden while he worked part-time after school to support himself. Meeting Ren Jie on his first day at college felt like a destiny that was supposed to bring love and happiness into his life; and for a while, it did. 

They were head over heels in love with each other; spending every day together. Ren Jie even asked Lin Er to move into his apartment without taking rent. Lin Er learned that Ren Jie’s family was rich but he still felt bad for staying without compensating, so he offered to foot the bills for utilities and groceries instead. At first, things seemed to be going well for the two lovers but as the semesters rolled on, things began to slowly change. Ren Jie had always had a taste for luxury, but he seemed to be spending way more than he used to and his own allowance would all be spent before the middle of the month. When his own allowance ran dry, Lin Er was forced to lend him money or suffer the cold shoulder from Ren Jie. Sometimes, Ren Jie would not even come home at all. 

“What did I do wrong?” Lin Er asked himself as he laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling above him. He looked to the side and saw Yu Yang fast asleep on the couch. He asked, “Why are you so kind to a stranger like me?”

Yu Yang was up by 6AM, and since Lin Er had not been able to sleep anyway, he got up to help. He quickly found himself being put to good use around the café; sweeping the floor, dusting the shelves, and wiping down the tables and chairs. It distracted him for a couple of hours.

“Don’t think about skipping classes,” Yu Yang tapped him on the shoulder when Lin Er seemed too preoccupied with his work. 

“A-Ah?” Lin Er stuttered, and looked away.

Yu Yang sighed, “Just this once.” 

“Hm?” Lin Er stopped twisting the rug in his hands.

Yu Yang told him, “You can probably get your stuff from the apartment while he’s away at college.” 

“Oh,” the heartbroken man responded, “Right.” 

His hope that Ren Jie would be at college was dashed the moment he entered the apartment; Ren Jie’s limited edition sneakers were still by the doorway, and so were a pair of heels. Tearing his eyes away from the betrayal, Lin Er saw that his belongings had already been roughly stuffed into his backpack and left sitting by the side of the hallway. He didn’t even need to remove his shoes to pick up his belongings. He left the apartment key in place of his backpack on the floor and left. 

Seeing that Lin Er came back with red eyes, Yu Yang scratched his head and awkwardly asked, “…I’m guessing, he’s in?” He eyed the backpack with items overflowing from its pockets and added, “…and you got kicked out?” 

Lin Er nodded silently. Yu Yang sighed again, “Come on. I’ve already cleaned up some space in the closet for you. So you can unpack and make yourself at home while I open up the café. There usually aren’t many customers this early, so I can handle it for now.”

“Make me forget him,” Lin Er said abruptly, and he knew Yu Yang understood the meaning behind his words. 

“I’m sorry,” Yu Yang said and took a step back. He said sternly, “I can’t.”

“I’m sorry,” Lin Er apologized and turned away from him but Yu Yang quickly caught hold of his large backpack.

“The stairs are in the other direction,” Yu Yang told him and gently continued, “I can’t make you forget him, but I didn’t say you can’t stay.” 

Lin Er became silent but in the end, he headed to the back of the café and walked up the stairs. Once the door to the loft clicked shut, Lin Er messed up his own mop of brown hair in his frustration and mentally beat himself up for trying to take advantage of his kind boss, “What was I even thinking?! Argh!”

Finally, he dropped his backpack. Looking around for the first time, Lin Er had to admit that he had not been fully aware of his surrounding yesterday; a minimalist design in shades of brown and accentuated with white. The bed cover was a pure shade of white and the couch he had been moping on all afternoon was of an off-white colour. Pulling the chocolate-coloured curtain apart, Lin Er noticed that the loft had a view of the café below; and the windows on the other wall had a perfect view of his college. Secretly, he admitted that this was how he had imagined his future home to be; simple and warm.

A while later, Lin Er popped back down with his employee’s apron on. Yu Yang commented, “Done unpacking so soon?” 

“I don’t have much to begin with…” Lin Er answered. Yu Yang had made too much space in the open closet for him; three empty drawers and a railing to hang up his shirt. He told him, “You can have two drawers back again.” 

“It’s yours,” Yu Yang insisted, “I don’t have much myself either.” 

Realization finally set into Lin Er’s mind that he had only ever take from Yu Yang without a single word of gratitude. He bowed and said, “Thank you, for everything.”

Yu Yang’s smile seemed sad when he replied, “Not a problem.” 

50:14:50:22

As the days rolled on, Lin Er tried to move on from his heartbreak but oftentimes, his hands would stop working at the café and his eyes would stop to stare at that table by the window. He had not seen Ren Jie ever since that day and he could not tell if he wanted to meet him again or not. A part of him still loved the man who had charmed his heart, but the other part of him held hatred for that same man. 

“Here’s the order for Table 3,” Yu Yang absent-mindedly pushed a tray across the counter to him. 

“Right away!” Lin Er mentally shook himself back to reality, and found himself staring at two cups of hot latte with a slice of lemon cheesecake; it was what Ren Jie used to order for them both.

“Lin Er, are you sure you want to do this?” Yu Yang’s hand still gripped the tray and he pointed at the table by the window. Apart from Table 3, the café was otherwise empty. 

The young waiter finally registered the two persons sitting at that table. It was Ren Jie and his girlfriend. Lin Er gulped, uncertainty building up but decided, “It’s my job. I’ll do it.”

Yu Yang let him go but continued to keep a watchful eye. Sure enough, a commotion quickly ensued the moment that rich playboy and his girlfriend saw Lin Er. Ren Jie was stunned speechless but his girlfriend was a far more talented actress. She began to cry and begged Ren Jie not to leave her for Lin Er, whom she accused to be scheming to worm his way back into Ren Jie’s heart. 

Goaded by her cries, Ren Jie’s heart hardened and he knocked over the two cups of lattes and shouted, “We didn’t order this!” 

Lin Er shook looking at the mess. Coffee splattered across the table and dripped onto the floor. He stuttered, “But your receipt…” 

“Your cashier heard me wrong!” Ren Jie insisted, “Take these away right now or I’ll file a complaint and sue you!”

“Excuse me, sir,” Yu Yang interrupted, “While I am sure I heard you right, if you have a change of mind on your order, I will be happy to accommodate. But… do not harass my employee, or my establishment.” 

Ren Jie was in disbelief. He knew Lin Er only had few friends in college with whom he rarely spoke to, so to have a stranger stand up for him was quite the rare sight. He even noticed that this café owner seemed angrier than he should be. Ren Jie scoffed, “You’ve already found a new boyfriend so soon, huh? ……slut.”

In an instant, he felt a tight tug around his neck and his balance shifted. That barista had grabbed him by the collar in an explosion of anger. Ren Jie retaliated and shouted, “Let go of me! Don’t you know who my father is?!” 

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Yu Yang seethed, “But you will NOT call Lin Er that.” 

“Boss!” Lin Er pulled helplessly onto his strong arms, “It’s okay! I-I’m used to being called names by him anyway. I’m not angry. So, don’t be angry. Let him go.”

Yu Yang reluctantly put Ren Jie down. He said to him, “Leave my café now, or I’ll make sure your father hears this.” 

Perhaps it was the threatening tone in Yu Yang’s voice, or maybe it was the fear that his father might disown him if he knew about his flings, but Ren Jie immediately did as he was told. He even forgot about his girlfriend when he escaped the café alone and did not stop even though she yelled for him to wait for her. 

Back inside the empty café, Lin Er moved to quickly clean up the mess on the table and floor, all the while being secretly glad that Ren Jie had not broken anything this time. If he had, Lin Er was not sure how to begin apologizing to Yu Yang or compensate for the damages again. 

Meanwhile, Yu Yang had walked away into the kitchen to cool down. Both owner and employee did not speak to each other again for the rest of the day, although their workflow still remained cooperative and smooth. 

In the evening, they had dinner at one of the tables at the café in silence. Yu Yang recalled something Lin Er had mentioned, and repeated those words coldly out loud, “You said, that man called you names, and that you’re used to it.” 

Sitting across from him, Lin Er tightened his grip on his bottle of cold beer and nodded solemnly, “But not always. At least… not in the beginning.”

“He called me a stupid fool, dumbass, good-for-nothing, useless, and all that,” Lin Er admitted, then awkwardly laughed, “Now that I think about it, it should’ve been a red flag, huh?” 

“…why would you stay in love with him?” Yu Yang asked, “Why are you still in love with him?”

“Because I believed he is my soulmate,” Lin Er said as he looked into Yu Yang’s eyes, “I still do.”

Yu Yang sighed, “Soulmates are—”

“Real,” Lin Er interrupted him. He smiled sadly, “That’s why A-Jie said I’m a dumbass, because I believe in it. Have you ever heard about the mark of soulmates?” 

Yu Yang froze, and later shook his head, “No.”

“I heard about it while I was on a holiday trip to the countryside when I was much younger,” Lin Er recalled. He explained, “I met an old lady at a really rundown temple at the edge of the village. She told me about the mark of soulmates. It appears on the bodies of the two persons who are destined to be together the very moment they met. She said the mark is so rare that it’s almost a legend. But you see… I have it. The soulmark.”

Lin Er’s hand reached up over his heart, “I noticed a white mark over here the night after I first met Ren Jie.” He chuckled, “The funny thing is, it’s in a vague oval shape, kind of like a coffee bean. Maybe it was because we had coffee here that day.”

Yu Yang was silent as he listened. Lin Er continued, “Even though he doesn’t have the mark, I truly loved him, enough to give my body to him, even though it hurts every time we do… it.”

Though Lin Er knew it should be awkward to tell his boss about his private love life, somehow he felt comfortable to open up, as if he had known Yu Yang for a long time. He continued, “Maybe I didn’t satisfy him enough. That’s why he started to see other girls. I don’t even know how many girlfriends he had while I waited at home for him.” 

“I guess I am crazy, after all,” Lin Er forced a bitter laugh, “Just like he said.”

“You’re not,” Yu Yang said, “Soulmark or soulmates, or whatever. You should do what makes you happy.”

Just knowing that Yu Yang did not criticize him was enough to make Lin Er feel relieved. He laughed, “Maybe… if I had never known about the soulmark, I wouldn’t be this miserable. But then, I might end up with a worse person than A-Jie.” 

“He’s not good for you,” Yu Yang stated, “You deserve better.”

Lin Er felt a little bit braver from the alcohol. He asked, “What about you? You don’t seem like you have girlfriend or boyfriend.” 

Yu Yang was taken aback by the sudden question, but answered, “I’m single. Never dated anyone.”

“But you feel… old,” Lin Er commented, “You look my age, maybe a couple of years older, but you feel much older.”

Yu Yang coughed and cleared his throat, “Maybe I am just conservative, or old-fashioned.” 

Lin Er recalled the simple clothes hanging on Yu Yang’s side of the closet. They didn’t look old-fashioned but rather classy in its simple sense. He realized something else, “No one conservative would be so open-minded to let a stranger into his bedroom, and even let a freeloader take the bed.” 

“Are you suggesting that I date you to justify the ‘co-habitation’?” Yu Yang smirked.

Lin Er did not realize their conversation was going to lead here. He recalled Yu Yang had just advised him to do what makes him happy, and he had to admit that he never had any bad experiences ever since he came to live here. So he blushed, “…I am actually happy here… I wouldn't mind trying to date you.”

Hearing that, Yu Yang replied, “Then I will make you forget him forever.” 

Lin Er’s heart skipped a beat hearing those words. That night, they shared the bed. Without even removing all of his clothes, Yu Yang embraced him so gently as if he was a long cherished lover and left red love bites on Lin Er’s body. His thrusts were deep and powerful, filling Lin Er’s petite body to the brim until he could not think about anything other than Yu Yang inside him. But when morning came, Lin Er could barely move his lower body. 

“That was the best sex I’ve ever had,” he recalled with a contented sigh but he suddenly gasped and lifted the covers to look at the mess on the bed; there was no blood on the sheet. He was astonished, and remembered, “Ah… he took the time to prepare me before so it didn’t hurt as much as with—”

“How’s your body?” 

A voice jolted him from his thoughts. Lin Er pulled the covers over him and looked at the door in panic. Seeing that it was Yu Yang, he relaxed and answered, “Sore.” 

Yu Yang sighed in relief, and placed a tray onto the bed, “I wasn’t sure if you can make it down the stairs, so I brought your breakfast up. Pancakes with maple syrup, and a cup of hot latte, brewed just the way you love it.” 

“Breakfast in bed after a romantic night?” Lin Er had never felt so pampered before that his face flushed red, “Thank you… A-Yang.” 

Yu Yang’s heart melted hearing the way Lin Er called him, but he quickly recomposed himself and said, “…take the day off and rest up.” Before he left, Yu Yang reminded him, “Your exam is in a week, right? You should also call up your college to reserve a room for training soon, and let me know which song you’re going to play.”

“Canon!” Lin Er exclaimed immediately, “Pachelbel’s!”

“Thought so,” Yu Yang smiled and corrected himself, “I mean… it’s my favourite song too.”

Though they only had an hour of practice per day that week, Lin Er found that Yu Yang and he were very compatible. They could almost immediately harmonize when they played their duet of Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major. Lin Er even noted that Yu Yang was a better pianist than the man himself would admit. He could play almost every song Lin Er requested after their practice session was over. He imagined that Yu Yang must have either trained from a very young age, or he was a genius, because no one would have had the time to practice and perfect so many songs unless he had years and years of practice. 

43:08:42:51

Surprisingly, there was no objection against enlisting Yu Yang, an outsider, to accompany Lin Er as his pianist on the day of examination. He only found out later that Yu Yang was an alumni in the very same music college, so he managed to coax the lecturers and was made an exception. In his heart, Lin Er wished that he had met Yu Yang instead three years ago – then he would never have gotten involved with Ren Jie and got his heart broken. 

“Forget about that man!” Lin Er scolded himself, “A-Yang is a wonderful person who loves me very much. I must cherish him!”

“Are you worried?” Yu Yang asked, and smiled gently, “Don’t worry, you’ll pass. I’m sure of it.”

Lin Er nodded, and changed the subject, “Um… A-Yang? I don’t have any plans after I graduate. Can I continue to work for you?”

Yu Yang became silent in his thoughts. Then he nodded and spoke, “In that case, I’ll have you take on more responsibilities in the café.”

“Aye, sir!” Lin Er saluted with a cheeky smile. 

True to his words, Yu Yang taught him more about the business; so much so that Lin Er was almost confident he could run the café alone, just like Yu Yang did. 

They maintained a professional relationship during their work hours and did not let their private lives come in between their teamwork. After closing up the café, the two lovebirds would go on dates, or loiter in their loft; just loving one another and basking in each other’s warmth. Every time, Yu Yang would hold him so tight in his arms, as if he was afraid of losing Lin Er.

Slowly but surely, Lin Er’s mind became filled with thoughts about Yu Yang. Well, it couldn’t be helped, as Lin Er would always tell himself. They were together every single day, waking up together on the same bed, eating and working at the same café, and then sleeping on the same bed again at the end of the day. It also didn’t help that Yu Yang would fulfil everything Lin Er asked of him, be it spoken or unspoken; it was as if Yu Yang knew exactly what Lin Er wanted out of their relationship, making him a more than perfect lover. 

10:19:35:06

More recently, however, Yu Yang seemed more affectionate… but also distant…?

It confused Lin Er to no end, to be honest. They were doing great as lovers but he could not help but notice the way Yu Yang would sometimes stare at him, without blinking. And when they hugged, Yu Yang was never the first to let go; in fact, he was always very reluctant to let go. Lately, Lin Er saw how Yu Yang would shed silent tears even as he made sweet gentle love to him. 

His heart broke to see him like that, but Lin Er could only smile as he moaned and gasped, “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt. A-Yang, it feels so good, do it again, more…”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Yu Yang would only reply, and held him closer. 

When Yu Yang was not staring at him, Lin Er would catch him staring at his own arm, as if he was reading something on the skin of his lower right arm. Sometimes, he would be bending over pieces of paper, doing calculations and mumbled “September 21” and “6:12:02 PM” repeatedly.

Every time Lin Er approached Yu Yang during those times, he would never be able to get anything out of him except a series of apologies and tight hugs. Somehow, it felt like Yu Yang was saying goodbye, and Lin Er didn’t like it. So he stopped asking, and only looked on helplessly as he brewed him a cup of straight black with their secret Guatemalan Antigua coffee beans stash. Yu Yang always liked his coffee rich – without sugar or milk – even though it would keep him awake at night; but he would always smile again when he drank it. 

00:13:55:44

On this morning, Lin Er woke up to find Yu Yang staring at him again. He was no longer startled by Yu Yang's habit as he did at the beginning of their relationship; in fact, he found it quite endearing to have his lover gaze upon him as he slept. Lin Er felt very much loved. 

He reached out to touch Yu Yang's face, and said in a raspy morning voice, “Good morning.”

“I love you,” Yu Yang said in reply, and leaned forward to capture his lips with a kiss. One kiss turned into a dozen kisses and Lin Er had to stop the two of them from getting carried away. It was almost time for them to get ready to open up the café.

“Let's not open the café today,” Yu Yang suddenly suggested, “Let's stay home, just the two of us.”

Lin Er was surprised. Yu Yang had never closed the cafe before, not even once, or even closed early. He knew that because he was once a regular customer who came daily for his favourite cup of latte. And knowing Yu Yang himself, he was the type of workaholic who would not rest even if he was running a fever. Silently pushing down his worry, Lin Er joked, “What's wrong with my A-Yang? Does he want to be pampered all day today?”

“Yes,” came the reply.

Lin Er was startled that the quiet and usually stoic Yu Yang would openly voice his desire. Up until now, Lin Er was always the one making demands, and was also the one receiving all the love that Yu Yang freely showered on him. He had thought that it was because he got unceremoniously dumped in public that Yu Yang let him hold the reins in their relationship, but now that he thought deeper, it felt like Yu Yang was the one who sought desperately for his love instead. Everything he did, was so that Lin Er would love him and forget about that man who dumped him for another. 

“Okay,” Lin Er agreed with a cheeky smile as he pulled Yu Yang’s oversized t-shirt off himself. During their relationship so far, Lin Er had never needed to remove his own clothes when he was about to do it with Yu Yang because his lover would tear it off him before thoroughly devouring him. But for today’s sake, Lin Er decided to take the initiative and be a dominant bottom, no matter how embarrassed he would feel later. A relationship is a two-way relationship after all, so Lin Er thought he should give as much as Yu Yang gave him.

Yu Yang kissed the white soulmark above Lin Er’s heart as he held onto him as tightly as he did every night, letting his lover rode him to climax, whispering and moaning his name over and over again. After Lin Er passed out from their morning romp, he woke up to a late breakfast on bed; eggs benedict on a bed of English muffins, topped with extra bacons and sausages, and a side of his favourite latte. After the two had filled themselves up with energy, Yu Yang stood up to put away the tray. Behind him, Lin Er shriek and fell off the bed. 

Yu Yang chuckled softly, “What are you doing?” 

“…my waist,” Lin Er winced as he sat on the floor safely and pouted, “I wanted to hug you.” 

“I’m here,” Yu Yang sat beside him and pulled him close to plant a kiss on Lin Er’s forehead.

“A-Yang, did you know…” Lin Er called out shyly.

“Hm?” came the reply.

Lin Er continued, “…it’s our 50th day anniversary today.”

“50th?” Yu Yang gasped a little, “…It felt so much longer.”

Lin Er hesitated, “Since the day hasn’t come to an end yet, shall we go on a date?” 

Hearing that, Yu Yang’s heart sank, but he hid it behind a smile, “Mn. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.” 

00:06:35:16

“Are you sure you just want to drive around?” Yu Yang asked as they got into his black car, “We can go to the aquarium, zoo, shopping or anywhere else.” 

Lin Er shook his head, “I just want to go everywhere and nowhere with you.” 

Yu Yang nodded as he shifted the gear and stepped onto the accelerator, “Alright. Then I’ll drive and you’ll tell me where to turn. Give me a heads up if you want me to stop.” 

Lin Er responded excitedly, “Mn! I’ve actually never explored much of the city during these three years. Just college, work and… that apartment.” His voice became low then he shook his head, and continued excitedly, “But now I get to see the city with you!”

His navigator made every decision during their drive; making a turn to the right, bypassing shop lots and pedestrians, or taking a left into the residential areas where the rich lived in their huge bungalows. Every turn was a spectacle and Lin Er stared in amazement at the sides of the city that he had never seen. 

00:02:35:17

Their ultimate stop was at a pitstop by the hill that overlooked the city. It was a place Lin Er wanted to watch the sunset. The two of them stood with their backs leaning against the side of the car; Lin Er had an arm around Yu Yang’s and rested his head on his broad shoulder. In return, Yu Yang rested his cheek against Lin Er’s head. Sunset was early in the city, and the lover watched the sky turned orange, then red and then purple before dark blue dotted with diamonds filled the sky above their heads.

The wind blew and Lin Er suddenly lifted his head to look to the side. He seemed surprised at first but seeing that there was no one, he turned his head back at the twinkling city in front of him. 

Yu Yang asked, “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Lin Er said, “I thought I heard someone calling my name.”

“On the road? In the forest?” Yu Yang’s eyes widened in suspicion, “It is dark now… so…”

“Hey!” Lin Er playfully hit him but said, “Well… maybe she was a ghost.” 

He asked, “Remember when I told you about an old lady at a rundown temple who told me about the mark of soulmates? I just remembered that she also gave me a white talisman, but I don’t even remember when I lost it. Now that I think about it, I might have dreamt about meeting her… but that doesn’t explain the soulmark on my body though. Hmm…” 

“…a white talisman?” Yu Yang repeated.

Lin Er nodded, “Yeah. She said it’s a talisman that exchanges fates. But it only works for a pair of soulmates. Oh well, I guess I’ll never know if that talisman really works, if it was even real.” 

Yu Yang responded flatly, “…I see.”

“Oh!” Lin Er changed the subject, “Since it’s our 50th day anniversary, let me make you something for dinner! What do you want to eat? Let’s drop by the grocery store on our way home!”

“Japanese curry rice,” Yu Yang answered as they both hopped back into the car. 

“Roger!” Lin Er nodded.

00:00:15:55

“Wait for me in the car,” Lin Er said just before he stepped out of the car. 

Yu Yang reached out to pull onto his jacket’s sleeve. He handed Lin Er his wallet, “Use my money.” 

“Hey!” Lin Er pouted.

“You’ll be doing the cooking, so I’ll do the paying,” was Yu Yang’s argument. 

Lin Er relented, “Okay.” 

Yu Yang sat in the car by the side of the road, contemplating as he stared at his lower right arm. The digits were barely visible now as it counted down: “00:00:13:14”

He dialled for Lin Er’s mobile phone as he got out to walk down the pavement. Yu Yang almost had to choke back on his tears when he heard his lover’s cheerful voice, “Hey! Do you need something else? I’ll get—”

00:00:12:35

“Lin Er,” Yu Yang steadied his voice, “I’ve known you for a long time.”

“…hm?” Lin Er sensed something was wrong but he could not quite point out where. 

00:00:11:55

Yu Yang reminisced, “We met on your first day at music college. We’ve dated happily for years, although sometimes we did argue. After you’ve graduated, we set up a small café with a loft. It was our home that we call our own. Did you know that you were the one who picked the furniture and colours?” 

00:00:10:21

Lin Er could not find his voice to ask. He had never met Yu Yang at college, because he had already graduated before his enrolment. It was Ren Jie whom he had met on the first day of college, and then they came to the café… that Yu Yang manages. Lin Er gasped, “It wasn’t A-Jie…? It was A-Yang all along…?”

00:00:10:01

Yu Yang’s voice seemed to break, “We had dreams for our future and our secret married life was only just at the beginning, until… you died in my arms.”

00:00:09:37

Lin Er dropped his shopping basket in shock, and something white fell out of Yu Yang’s leather wallet. His eyes stared at the talisman he thought he had lost; now yellowish from years of safekeeping. 

00:00:09:11

“That was the day I lost my mark of soulmates,” Yu Yang told him, “I lost you.” 

00:00:08:57

“All I had in my hand was your talisman,” Yu Yang continued, “And a timer that appeared on my lower right arm. It probably counts down to my death but then I learned that I could jump back in time, by paying the exact amount of time I wanted to jump backwards.”

00:00:08:04

Yu Yang drew in a shuddered breath as he drew closer to the intersection, “So I jumped back in time to prevent the accident that killed you. But I failed. I tried again and again and again and again, but every time I couldn’t change your fate. No matter how far away I take you from the place of accident, I would always open my eyes to the same scene of you gasping for your last breath at the exact same place, at the exact same time.”

00:00:06:52

“So I gave up trying to save you. Instead, I used the remainder of my time to jump back in time to be with you, and relive our happier days all over again,” Yu Yang admitted, smiling bitterly as he recalled his memories, “I’ve lived with you for decades. I know everything there is to know about you, and that’s how I learned to brew your perfect cup of latte.” 

00:00:06:21

“But in my previous lifetime with you, we got into a huge fight because I got too possessive,” Yu Yang’s voice lowered in remorse, “I didn’t give you the freedom to mingle with your friends because I wanted to monopolize all of your time… because my own time was running low and I could only re-live another lifetime with you. Every second was too precious to waste.” 

00:00:05:37

“But you didn’t know anything, and you got rightfully angry at me,” Yu Yang said, “You shouted at me that if only you had never met me, your life would’ve been different. And that gave me an idea.” 

00:00:05:01

“You’ve never met me in college because I had graduated early,” Yu Yang told him, “I’ve made sure everything is different this time around but I still wanted to be close to you and bring you a little bit of joy every day, even if it was to brew you a cup of latte just the way you love it. I re-built our café near the college so I can see you whenever you come by. No matter how lonely I felt seeing you happy without me, in the end, your happiness was all that mattered to me. But when you got your heart broken, I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to you… and I’ve made you fall in love with me all over again. Every second I’ve suffered without you in this lifetime was all in vain after all…” 

00:00:03:44

Yu Yang stood still at the fateful intersection where vehicles zoomed by as swift as the wind without any regard to the traffic lights. He laughed softly, “…or maybe not. You’ve only told me about the mark of soulmates when we found out we had a matching soulmark over our hearts. But you’ve never told me the part of the story where an old lady gave you a talisman, and how it could exchange fates. If I had known, I wouldn’t have ever let you die a second time. If I had known during our first lifetime together, I would’ve made you swear to never exchange our fates.”

00:00:02:54

“No…” Lin Er gasped.

00:00:02:50

“I was the one who died,” Yu Yang said, “Not you.”

00:00:02:39

“A-Yang, where are you?!” Lin Er panicked and rushed out of the store with Yu Yang’s wallet and talisman in his hands. He saw Yu Yang’s black car parked by the roadside but he could not see the shadow of the man himself. He asked again as he frantically ran in a random direction, “Where are you? Please tell me!” 

00:00:01:58

“Did you know that today isn’t our 50th day anniversary?” Yu Yang deliberately ignored his question, “It’s actually our 10,557th day anniversary. Well, I did cheat a little bit during this lifetime, because I don’t want to live another second without you, so I’ve deliberately jumped back minutes or hours to relive some parts of the last 50 days that you remembered. I’ve time my seconds to run out when yours does. But this time, I hope it’ll be different.”

00:00:00:56 

“I’ve returned the talisman to you but I don’t know if it will work again,” Yu Yang said, “If it does, then everything should go back to how it was supposed to be. You’ll live to see another day.”

00:00:00:45

“NO!” Lin Er screamed.

00:00:00:42

Yu Yang could hear Lin Er’s voice from the phone’s speaker and from afar. He said gently as he turned away from Lin Er’s sight, “It’ll be okay. The café is yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Continue managing it, hire someone else to manage it for you, or sell it and live off the profits. Anything you want.” 

00:00:00:17

“I just want you!” Lin Er cried, “You knew I’d rather die than live without you.”

00:00:00:10

“I’m sorry,” Yu Yang paused and smiled, “Lin Er, live for my sake.”

00:00:00:02

“A-Yang!”

00:00:00:01

“I love you.” 

00:00:00:00

**Author's Note:**

> Need a box of tissue?
> 
> I have some less angsty stuff on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/iarrod) and [tumblr](https://iarrod.tumblr.com/)


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